Method of packing a predetermined candy mixture



G. C. MILLER May 18, 1937.

METHOD OF PACKING A PREDETERMINED CANDY MIXTURE Original Filed April 26,1935 2 Sheets-Sheet IL Ihvenfior eozyeamller r 1953mm c. MILLER May 18,1937.

METHOD OF PACKING A PREDETERMINED CANDY MIXTURE OriginalFiled April 26,1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lhvnlor b eazyeamller Patented May 18, 1937 UNITEDSTATES METHOD OF PACKING A PREDETERMINED CANDY MIXTURE George C. Miller,Brighton, Mass, assignor to Excelsior Machine Corporation, a corporationof Massachusetts Original application April 26, 1933, Serial No.668,085. Divided and this application February 12, 1935, Serial No.6,264 i 15 Claims.

In the production of packaged assortments of chocolates or like dippedcenters or other predetermined mixtures of candy or the like, it is ofgreat importance to maintain the standard assortment in kind and number.

This is particularly true of packs of such mixtures, as for example,boxed cholocate mixtures, bon-bons, fruit or nut specialties.

In such mixtures, which are usually piece named or trade-marked, theparticular pack is bought sealed, usually in reliance upon the presence,or absence of certain items in the discrimination of the purchaser.

Quick sales, week end or holiday packages, particularly afiord a problembecause they usually have to be produced at a low price. The expense ofthe assured or guaranteed assorted mixture package involves considerablefactors of counting, sorting, handling and with all the necessity ofassured result.

From the urgent need of making possible to manufacturer and to consumingpublic such pack mixtures with a maximum of certainty of standard and aminimum of cost, the present concept M sprang. Essentially, this conceptis one of method, al-

though in its development there are important though fortunately simplemechanical combinations involved. While these may be and in most casesmust be varied to suit the resources and facilities of the individualmanufacturer, the accompanying drawings illustrate a characteristicdevice for the production of such unit packs in accordance with thisinvention. This application is a division of applicant's originalapplication Serial No. 668,085, filed April 26, 1933, and represents acontinuation of the method aspects of that case.

Throughout the specification and drawings, like reference charactersindicate corresponding parts, and in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a machine presenting the essentials ofthe concept for the practice of my method.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross section on the line X-X, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in cross section on the line YY, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus indicated and furtherillustrating my method of producing and packing, and

Fig. 5 is a view partly in cross section on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1.

In the drawings I have attemptedto indicate with a minimum of detail, amachine adapted for use where the available floor space is limited, butthe machineis adaptable to floor space requirement to solve factoryproblems successfully.

My machine consists of a conveyor system including belts l running onrollers 2 journalled in any suitable frame 3 supported on legs 4 atconvenient height for the operators who are usually seated at stationsalong the way.

The machine comprises three sections or zones, as indicated by thebrackets in Fig. 1. The zone A is primarily the dipping andcollectingzone. The cooling zone C is provided for the harden ing of thecoatings, and the delivery is made at the zone B.

Detachably mounted within the frame 3 are.

the coating pots 5. The frame includes dividing walls 6 for each beltupon which the clipping plates or palettes l are placed. The dividingwalls 6 also support the trays 8 for the centers.

Each operator in the zone A hasa different type of a center. Each centeris dipped and then placed on the belt I. As the belt moves by eachstation, the operator adds the type of candy which she is dipping. Thecandy placed on the belt I is shown by the shaded circles 9. Thus eachlongitudinal row or column of chocolates will be uniform. 1

The belts I carry the dipped centers through the cooling tunnel Ill, asis shown in Fig. 3. The cooling unit H is standard and includes an airintake l2, 'a refrigerant inlet l3," an electric blower l4, and an airexhaust "I5 upturned to avoid the direct contact of the cooled air onthe operators. After the dipped centers have passed through the zone C,they are sufliciently hardened to permit packing.

The packing or boxing is done in the zone B. In this zone my machine isprovided with a pair of conveyor belts 20 and 20a (see Figs. 1 and 5)for the boxes 2| adjacent and parallel to the belts I. A guide rail 22and rollers 23 are provided so that the boxes 2| will be moved acrossthe belt I to the box conveying belt 24 which moves in the oppositedirection. A bridge 25 with a guide rail 26 is provided to carry theboxes 2| across the other belt I to the belt 20a. The movement of theboxes 2| across the rollers 23 and the bridge 25 is caused by pressurefrom; succeeding boxes on the moving belts. I i

As the boxes 2| are placedon the belt 20 the operators in the zone Beach pick up a predetermined number of a certain type of dipped centers9. As most boxes have two layers of candy, a convenient and practicalmethod is to have a complete layer packed in during this stage and asuitable covering, such as is shown at 21, placed thereon so that whenthe boxes 2| reach the belt a, they will be ready for a repetition ofthe process just described whereby the box is filled. An operator standsat the end of the belt 201 and places covers on the boxes 2!.

The boxes 2| are then placed on the conveyors which may be mounted anddriven to suit factory requirements and conditions. The conveyor 30carries the boxes 2| bask towards the zpr e C and deposits the boxes 2|on a slide 3|. The boxes 2| are then picked up by operators in the zoneC where they may be wrapped and handled any way desired to facilitateeconomical production.

As before explained, the apparatus shown may be variously modified topractice my method of packing as herein indicated. The double form ofthe device in which there are parallel stations and conveyors is ofgreat practical advantage in making'possible a, wide range of variety inthe type of centers used without undue length to the apparatus. Wheredesired the apparatus might be made single with the number of stationsin accordance with the requirements of the pack. Under other conditionsthe number of stations and conveyors combining to feed a commonpackaging station may be readily effected along the lines indicated.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided by my method anovel basis for producing packs of assorted units with a maximum ofassurance of the mixture desired for the pack; The direct packing of thefresh dipped centers coming from the cooler is also of very greatadvantage inasmuch as they are immediately placed in their ultimatecdntainerusually in a paper cup or holder, and are thus protected fromdamage such as might and usually would result from extended handling andreehandling of the units in trays before packaging.

All such variants and modifications as are above indicated are to beunderstood as in the concept of my invention, the same being readily Iunderstood and capable of practice by those skilled in this art.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of candies ofdifferent kinds which consists in assembling each kind of candy ina rowand in suitably spacing said rows in relatively parallel longitudinalformation, in continuously progressing the assembly in such series ofrows to a series of packing stations, in removing successively one kindof a candy from its row as it pro res e past a h at on. nd n su s v ypacking each piece of candy removed from its row a box, and in movingthe box to each successive station until the predetermined mixturecontent of the box is completed.

Tbe metho of a ka in a predetermined mixture of candies of differentkinds which consistsin assembling each kindof candy in a row, n ass mlin e r in e i a l o tion in continuously progressing the assembly to as s of packin a on in o i suecese sively-a piece of one kind of a candyfrom its row as it progresses past eachzstation, and; in successivel-ypacking each piece of candy removed from its row in a box, and in movingthe box to each successive station until the predetermined mixturecontent of the box is completed.

3. The method of packagin a predetermined mix r of an i s; cf ferentkinds wh ch. consists in assembling each kind of candy in a longitudinalrow, in assembling a plurality of such rows in continuously progressingthe assembly in such series of rows to a series of packing stations, inremoving successively a piece of one kind of a candy from its row as it'progresses past each station, and in successively packing each piece ofcandy removed from its row in a box, and in moving the box to eachsuccessive station until the predetermined mixture content of the box iscompleted.

4. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of candies ofdifferent kinds which consists in progressing a plurality of rows eachcomposed of candies of one kind to a series of packing stations,removing successively one kind of a candy from its row as it progressespast each station, and in successively packing the piece of candyremoved from its row in a box, in moving the box to each successivestation and in removing from its row and'placing in said box a differentkind of candy at each station until the predetermined mixture content ofthe box is completed.

5. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of candies ofdifferent kinds whichconsists in ararnging each kind of candy in a row,in assembling the rows in predetermined order in progressing saidassembly to a series of: packing stations, in removing successively onekind of a candy from its row as it progresses past each station, and insuccessively packing the piece of candy removed from its row in a box,in continuously moving the box at the same speed as the candy to eachsuccessive station and in re-. 3

moving from its row and placing in said box a different kind of candy ateach station until the predetermined mixture content of the box is com,pleted.

6. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of candies ofdifferent kinds inv a two layer package, which consists in arrangingeach kind of candy in a longitudinal row in assembling said rows inrelatively parallel formation in a pair of columns in progressing saidcolumns to-a pair of successive series of packing stations, in

removing successively one kind ofcandy from its row as it progressespast each successive station, and in packing each piece of candy removedfrom its row in a box, and in moving the box with the candy to eachsuccessive station in each of i the pairs of packing stations until thepredetermined mixture content of the box is completed.

'7. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of fresh dippedcandies of different kinds in a two layer package, which consists inarranging each kind of candy in a longitudinal row, in positioning saidrows in a pair of spaced columns in progressing the columns to a pair ofspaced successive series of packing stations, in removing successivelyone kind of a candy from its row as it progreses past each station, inpacking each piece of candy removed from its row; in a box, and incontinuously moving the box with the candy to each successive station ineach of the pairs of packing stations until the predetermined mixturecontent of the box is completed.

8. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of candies ofdifferent kinds, which consists in continuously moving a pair of endlessconveyors between and past a pair of rows of iii each loading station inthe row of loading stations immediately adjacent thereto a certain kindof candy, in assembling the rows in parallel formation on the conveyor,in thereafter successively removing one kind of candy from its row oneach conveyor as it passes each removing station in the row of removingstations immediately adjacent thereto, in continuously and automaticallymoving a plurality of packages in a longitudinal direction past all ofthe removing stations in one row of removing stations, thence across theend of said row, thence between said row and the companion row ofremoving stations, thence across the end of said companion row andfinally longitudinally past all of the removing stations in saidcompanion row, and in placing the candies successively removed at theseveral removing stations of both rows of removing stations in the orderof their removal at said removing stations into the packages travelingpast said removing stations.

9. The method of packaging a predetermined mixture of candies ofdifferent kinds, which consists in continuously moving an endlessconveyor past a series of longitudinally separated loading stations andpast a series of longitudinally separated removing stations, in firstsuccessively placing each kind of candy in one of a predeterminedplurality of relatively parallel rows on said conveyor as it passes eachloading station in the series of loading stations, in thereaftersuccessively removing one kind of candy from each row on said conveyoras it passes each removing station, in continuously and automaticallymoving a plurality of packages past all of the removing stations, and inplacing the candies successively removed at the several removingstations in the order of their removal at said removing stations intothe packages traveling past said removing stations.

10. The method of packaging mixtures of candies of different kinds whichconsists in assembling each kind of candies in a row, in assembling therows in predetermined order, in continuously progressing the assembly inseries through a series of packing stations, in removing successivelyone kind of a candy from its row as it progresses past each station, inpacking the piece of candy removed from its row at each station in a boxand in continuously moving the box to each successive station where onecandy of different kind is removed from its row and placed in said boxuntil the predetermined mixture content of the box is completed.

11. The method of packaging mixtures of candies of different kinds whichconsists in assembling each different kind of candy in one of aplurality of rows, in continuously conveying the assembly through aseries of packing stations, in removing successively from its row onekind of a candy at each station, in placing the same in a box and incontinuously moving the box at the same speed as the candy to eachsuccessive station where one candy of different kind is removed from itsrow and placed in said box until the predetermined mixture content ofthe box is completed.

12. The method of packaging mixtures of candies of difierent kinds whichconsists in continuously assembling each kind of candy in a row, inassembling the rows in relative longitudinal parallel position, incontinuously conveying the assembly of rows through a series of packingstations, in removing successively one kind of a candy from its row ateach station, in placing the same in a box and in continuously movingthe box at the same speed as the assembled candy to each successivestation where one candy of different kind is removed from its row andplaced in said box until the predetermined mixture content of the box iscompleted.

13. The method of packaging mixtures of candies of different kinds whichconsists in assembling each kind of candy in a longitudinal row and inarranging the rows in parallel formation, in continuously conveying theassembly in series through a series of packing stations, in removingsuccessively from its row one candy at each station, in placing the samein a box and in moving the box to each successive station where onecandy of different kind is removed from said as-' sembly and placed insaid box until the predetermined mixture content of the box iscompleted.

14. The method of packaging mixtures of candies of different kinds whichconsists in assembling a plurality of parallel longitudinal rows, eachrow being composed of candies of one kind, in progressing the rowsthrough a series of packing stations, in progressing a boxsimultaneously with the candy through said stations, and at each of saidstations removing one candy from a predetermined row, and in placing thesame in said box until the predetermined mixture content of the box iscompleted.

15. The method of packaging mixtures of candies of different kinds whichconsists in assem-' bling a plurality of parallel longitudinal rows,

each row being composed of candles of one kind, in progressing the rowsthrough a series of packing stations, and at each of said stationsremoving one candy from a predetermined row for packaging.

GEO. C. MILLER.

